With spring in the air, most of us are ready for a cleanse, to start getting outside, and embarking on healthier options as we look forward to a sunny summer. Most people have a pretty firm grasp on what juicing is, yet few understand what it takes to make a juice that’s balanced enough to be healthy. So here, I would like to help.
It’s pretty easy to forget that juice is sort of a concentrated form of a food source, and is somewhat contrary to what happens in nature. With a few handy tips, you can have a better understanding with methods that can bring balance to your juice.
Here are some easy tips on juicing the healthy way.
Limit Sweet Juices
One of the major things that a lot of people neglect to consider is the amount of sugar that is contained in the sweeter fruits. These kinds of fruits could diminish the amount of progress you have if your goal is to reduce sugars and lose weight. This is due to the high insulin response, which triggers fat storage. To keep that from happening, choose fruit with less sugar like green apples and blueberries. You can also use kiwis, just be sure that you don’t make them the only thing in your juice, and of course it’s recommended that you pair them with some kind of vegetable. (recipes below)
Keep These Veggies on the Stove
Cruciferous like cabbage, kale, broccoli and Bok Choy have a lot of major health benefits, but many of these benefits are best absorbed after the vegetables have been cooked. If you ingest a large amount of these types of vegetable juices raw, you could run the risk of reduced thyroid function. These effects are caused by chemicals called goitrogens, which are generally destroyed during the cooking process.
Veggies You Should Juice
Even though there are a few things to avoid, here are a few vegetables that are completely safe for you to juice. Celery is one of the best vegetables to juice because it has major anti-inflammatory properties that can help you to deal with a lot of different types of illnesses and symptoms. Beets are great at helping to stimulate liver functionality and provide a good source of iron. Various types of peppers are a great source of vitamin C and can rival the most potent of citrus fruits. Wheatgrass is great for stimulating cleansing function in the body, and can reduce acidity in parts of the body.
3 Ingredient Juice Recipe Ideas
Why do we juice? Juicing can be a wonderful way to help your body get the proper nutrients, and it’s massively convenient. Here are a few recipes to try if you are new to juicing:
Oranges, Apples and Carrots
Oranges are relatively high in sugar, so this recipe will call for just 1 orange, 2 medium sized apples, and 2 big carrots. This recipe can help to prevent illnesses that are caused by deficiencies of essential phytochemicals, the absence has been linked to diseases like cancer. This recipe should make about 1 cup, but if you’d like more just double the recipe. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Orange, Grapefruit, and Apples
Citrus fruits are tasty and high in vitamin C (a great post work out juice) Apples are a source of vitamins, and contain a variety of important antioxidants and phytochemicals. To make this power packed juice, you will need 1 grapefruit, 2 oranges, and 2 medium sized apples. Normally yields 2 cups. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Strawberry, Kiwi, and Blueberry
Strawberries and kiwis are a great source of Vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and folate. Blueberries are a super food antioxidant, so that makes this particular drink an excellent juice to drink to help you get over any sickness or common cold. You will need 3 cups of strawberries, 1 1/2 cup kiwi and a small handful of blueberries. This should yield about 1 cup of juice. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Personal Favorite Green Juice
- 1 cucumber
- 2 celery stalks 1 cucumber
- 1 root of ginger
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- 1 handful spinach
- Blend, strain, drink
You can also add in unpasteurized honey for additional sweetness, and lets not forget about turning up the health benefits with herbs! Drop in turmeric, ginger, even garlic to add a zing!